Eyes Upon You
by sarilleny
Summary: Visiting a new place and meeting new people can be nerve-wracking. It's very easy to imaging that everyone in a room is staring at you. Of course, there are those times where, well… Maybe it's not just your imagination.


****Disclaimer:****

I do not own Sonic, Knuckles, or any other characters who appear in this story. They belong to Sega.

 ** **Description:****

Visiting a new place and meeting new people can be nerve-wracking. It's very easy to imaging that everyone in a room is staring at you. Of course, there are those times where, well… Maybe it's not just your imagination…

 ** **Authors Note:****

This story just sort of happened. IDK. There was no plan. Still working a bunch on Fractured Frequency, but I had a dream about Knuckles and it turned into this. It's kinda different. Kinda the same.

Anyway... I hope you all enjoy it.

* * *

 ** **Eyes Upon You****

* * *

Rolling hills outside the window.

Knuckles could see them much more clearly now from his seat on the train. He liked to watch how the things close by, _little blades of grass, or the bushes, and signs along the track,_ whoosh by all burry while the hills of Mystic Ruins strolled along gently in the distance. He hadn't been able to see this much the evening before, when they had taken the the train into the city

"You know, I'm not sure why thought you wouldn't like this part."

Knuckles turned to his right where Sonic sat next to him.

"The train? _No,_ this is great. I don't have anything like this on my island. It's interesting to watch out the windows. Kind of like flying, but close to the ground. And you said it really travels all around the city?"

"Well, not just this train. There are several others that take different routes as well. I don't really use them very often. Generally I just run if I'm heading into Station Square."

"I see." Knuckles replied.

"Come on," Sonic said, sliding down the seat towards the aisle. "Our stop is coming up. Let's head over to the doors."

"Already?" Knuckles asked, a little disappointed.

"Don't worry. Now that I know you like this, we can plan a day trip on the bullet train to Central City during your visit. How does that sound? They sell the best snacks from these little carts that get wheeled through the aisles on the bullet trains. They also have really comfortable seats."

"What makes it a bullet train? Is if for security or something?" Knuckles asked. They were standing in front of the doors now, and could feel the train gradually slowing.

"Oh no, It's just a really fast train for longer trips. Like distances between cities. It's not as fast as me, mind you. But faster than this," Sonic said motioning at the train car around them.

From somewhere above head, a musical tone rang followed be a melodic voice which spoke, "We will be arriving at Station Square Central soon. Please wait for the doors to open fully before exiting."

After they arrived at the station Knuckles followed Sonic out into the city. If he recalled correctly what Sonic had told him before they left Mystic Ruins, their destination would only be a few minutes walk away.

As they walked through the city, Sonic pointed out landmarks along the way. He mentioned a few places to eat that he was fond of, some older building and what the were used for, and several other places of varying importance. After a while Knuckles had trouble keeping track of it all, but he listened and looked with interest anyway.

A few minutes into their journey a voice called out form behind them.

"Sonic! Oh Mr. Sonic is that you?"

They both turned around, and saw a tall gray otter in a light yellow dress rushing up

to meet them.

"Oh, hey there Ella." Sonic greeted her as she met them. "How are you doing today?"

"Well I'm doing just fine, but we have a matter at the City Council that requires your assistance. Could you spare a few minutes to see to it with me?"

"Um well… " Sonic hesitated, "I was actually just heading to the Summer Solstice Festival with my friend here. He's only just come to visit."

"Oh dear me! How rude I've been! I didn't introduce myself. Hello there! My name is Ella-May the Otter. It's lovely to meet you." Ella-May said, as she turned to greet Knuckles. "Oh… You must be visiting from _very far away_." She reached out with one hand towards Knuckles.

Recalling the gesture as something Sonic had done when they first became friends a couple of months ago, Knuckles offered his hand up in return.

When Ella-May noticed the spikes on his fists she flinched away slightly. She looked up then suddenly, cheeks slightly flushed, before taking his hand, and shaking it briefly.

To their right he heard Sonic chuckle slightly, though Knuckles wasn't exactly sure why.

"Uhh, So Mr. Sonic. Would it be alright if I steal you away? It's really very important if you could spare the time."

"It's ok Sonic. I don't mind waiting." Knuckles said, encouraging his friend. From their talks the night before, and discussions when Sonic had visited him on the island, he had gathered that Sonic was quite well respected in the city, and that he played a rather large part with it's overall security.

"Are you sure Pal?" Sonic asked.

"I'm sure. I don't want to keep you from anything necessary or important."

" _Well…_ ok. Actually why don't we do this. I'll head in to the council office with Ella really quick, and you just go ahead to the festival. It's just two blocks up the street from here." Turning back to Ella-May, Sonic asked, "You said this will only take a few minutes right Ella?"

"Oh yes! Certainly. Five minutes tops!"

"Um. Ok. I guess I could do that." Knuckles agreed.

"Great! Take a look around Knux. There are so many interesting stands, and sellers. I know you are going to love it. And I'll be back before you know it."

"Alright. Just up this way?" Knuckles asked, pointing further along the street they had been walking."

"Yup," Sonic replied. "You'll turn left, at that orange building down there. You can't miss it. I'll see you in a few."

Knuckles watched as Sonic and Ella-May walked off towards a large marble building some distance away. Starting in the direction of the market, he felt the slightest twinge of anxiety at being left to explore on his own.

He was plenty capable to fend for himself of course, but this place, _this world_ that Sonic was from, was completely different from his own. It was so interesting. He was fascinated by all of the buildings, and lights, and signs. Everything was so _new_. He hadn't seen a single ruin since he'd arrived. _And the people_. There were so many of them. All kinds of people. Different from himself, or Sonic, or Tails even. Of course he had read about other people in his history books. About the Echidnan allies and enemies. But seeing and meeting them in person was very unlike his books

It was all that intrigue that made him nervous. It wasn't long ago that his curiosity about such things… about a very particular someone, had led to disastrous consequences.

 _'Not everyone is like Eggman.'_

Knuckles had to keep reminding himself of what Sonic had told him.

When Knuckles first arrived the previous evening, Sonic and Tails took him to a place called a _restaurant_ , where other people prepared a meal for them.

Intending not to be a burden on his hosts, Knuckles had brought along an entire bag of vegetables and preserves from home for his visit, but apparently it hadn't been necessary. When he had offered it to his friends, Sonic laughed, and explained it Knuckles was their guest, and shouldn't worry about such things.

Knuckles hadn't really know what to expect at the restaurant, a place called _Yellow Ramen,_ but the food had been quite delicious once they sorted what to order for him. He'd received a flavorful broth dish with stringy things called noodles. Thinking about it again, he wondered if maybe he could try to make something similar when he got home. He would have to ask Tails about it.

During the walk home from Yellow Ramen, something unexpected had happened. He'd been enjoying himself, walking along as Tails and Sonic recounted another of their adventure stories, when the sight of a group ahead caused him to pause.

Before that moment, Dr. Robotnik had been the only person of a kind, Knuckles had ever seen. _Humans,_ Tails explained later, they were called.

His friends were a few steps ahead before they realized he'd stopped walking with them. _'Are they like him?'_ Knuckles wondered about the group. He stood there observing them. They were just hanging around, chatting and laughing. They seemed nice enough, but so had Dr. Robotnik when he'd introduced himself on the island just a few months ago.

"Not everyone is like Eggman." Sonic had crossed back over to him, and seemed to understand the question in his eyes.

 _'Not everyone is like Eggman.'_ He repeated to himself once more. He was just passing the orange building. When he turned the corner, the festival grounds came into view just as Sonic had described.

The place looked massive. Festive decorations lined the whole area. As he approached he noticed brightly colored lanterns hanging along the walkway, which led up to a grand arch at the center of the street block, and appeared to serve as an entrance to the festival. Inside he saw the booths and tents that Sonic had described lined into neat little rows. He recognized people from all sort of tribes walking through aisles. Further in, there was a large building. It was quite beautifully built with sloping walls, intricate decorative stone inlays, and a greenish tinted glass roof. Like most everything else there, the building was like nothing he'd seen before. Many people seemed to be entering it, so Knuckles assumed there must be more to the festival inside of it as well.

He decided to start by exploring the outdoor area. It was a gorgeous day out. Feeling the warm sun shine down on his shoulders made him feel strangely closer to home. It was a silly thing maybe, but with so many foreign things around him, the sun was a small comfort, like a friend amongst the crowd.

As he reached the first aisle all kinds of new smells filled the air. One stand had nothing but freshly cut flowers. Another served what looked and smelled like some sort of meat on a stick. Yet another had baked goods with strange brightly colored decorations on top. All that just within the first few steps. There were booths with crafted goods as well. He walked up to one table that held intricate wood carved plaques. There didn't seem to be anyone there at the moment manning the stand, so he just browsed briefly. He noticed the plaques appeared to be created from several differently colored types of wood that had been joined somehow, and were so reflective they shined like glass.

Across the aisle, a sign that read _Jewelry & Gems_ caught his eye. _'Could they be fellow treasure hunters?'_ He wondered. He wandered over to it, careful not to cross in the paths of the other festival-goers. The booth was covered by an old fabric tent, with the front and side flaps rolled up. He saw a young woman sitting inside, working on what looked like a bead necklace. There were several types of jewelry lain out on the tables. More beaded pieces, rings and bangles of forged of various metals with intricate patterns carved into them, and others inlayed with fine stone. The only true gems he saw were tiny, set into pieces of jewelry. He picked up a necklace that held a teardrop shaped ruby to inspect a bit closer.

"Can I help you?" The girl behind the table asked. When Knuckles looked up at her she exclaimed, "Oh!" and seemed a bit surprised.

"Uh… Do you have any gems larger that these?" he asked.

"Larger? No… Not here. We only make fine jewelry. You could uh… probably try at Mariebel's Crystal Shop in town though." The girl was looking at him rather strangely as she spoke. Knuckles began to feel uncomfortable.

"Oh, ok." He replied as he set the necklace back down, and backed away. Probably better just to move along.

When he turned around to continue through the market, it was suddenly apparent that eyes all along the aisle were currently directed at him. _Everyone was staring;_ people from inside the other stands; others who had been walking around but were now whispering in hushed voices. Why were they looking at him? At the far end of the row one group was even pointing.

 _'Was it because I touched that necklace?'_ he asked himself. Maybe that was against the rules. His twinge of anxiety was quickly growing into something more significant. For a moment he considered leaving the festival all together. He could run back to that building where Sonic had gone. He could wait there. But what if Sonic had already left, and was already looking for him… How long had it been now? Five minutes surely. ' _No,'_ he decided. He should probably stay.

Without making eye contact to any of the bystanders, Knuckles made his way to the end of the aisle at a brisk walk, staring at his shoes all the way. He was relieved nobody tried to stop, or speak to him.

A path to the left opened up back to a street, and the open city. He couldn't go that way. He wouldn't know where to go. Knuckles briefly regretted not knowing where to look for Tails. He knew the fox was already there somewhere there in the market, waiting for he and Sonic to visit, but finding him would be difficult.

The path to the right revealed several additional aisles of booths, and tents similar to the one he meant to escape. Straight ahead there was an entrance to the glass roofed building. It appeared as though it might offer a respite; it looked busy and crowed inside. Maybe he could use that to disappear.

He ran in and immediately turned right, mixing in with the crowd. It was considerably more congested there. Once he was caught in the stream of bodies, there was little he could do to keep himself from being carried away with it.

The building itself was quite spacious inside. The hall was lined with tables along the outer edges. Knuckles couldn't really see any of what was being sold due to the amount of people who shuffled about. Groups kept piling up, and getting caught standing along certain seemingly popular vendors. There was second inner current of people who seemed to be funneling towards the forward center of the hall, in front of a raised stage area. Knuckles could see several people raising their hands in response to a particular individual who was speaking incredibly loud, and fast on the stage.

As he was dragged further along into the mess of people, Knuckles began to regret entering the building. He was caught amongst a swarm of bodies that were bumping, and pressing, and shoving him from all sides. While the faces in the crowd around him seemed thoroughly unconcerned by the state of their surroundings, he could feel sweat beads forming at the back of his neck.

Somewhere near the front of the room the sound of a bell rang out, and suddenly the commotion in the room grew even greater in excitement. There was a great push from behind as seemingly everyone tried to move forward to see what the bell and its companion voice offered.

 _'Out.'_ Knuckles thought. _'Need to get out of here.'_ He tried to cut diagonally through the assembly, back towards the outer wall. Progress was slow, but he managed to weave through a reasonable distance, until his right foot caught on something. He tried to stabilize himself, but was thrown further off balance by an ill timed shove from the left that sent him toppling unceremoniously into a whoever was next to him.

Someone beside him yelped as they fell. Once a significant amount of flailing subside, another voice said "Oww!" quite loudly. He saw that four others had tumbled down around him. There was a moment where several feet shuffled away, and the massive crowd parted to make room for the disheveled group on then floor.

A boy directly across from him on the floor made eye contact; they looked to be nearly the same age. He had distinctive purple and white fur over an average build and long tail. He couldn't identify what tribe exactly the boy might belong to. Knuckles pushed himself up to his knees, and reached out towards the other boy offering his open palm; there was a second between the action, and when Knuckles realized his mistake. The boy was cradling one arm, which bore a long red welt. He took one look at Knuckles' out stretched hand and screamed.

"Aaaaaaahhhhhhh! Look a his HANDS! HE ATTACKED ME! Get away! HELP!"

Half a beat, and the room descended into chaos. RUNNING. SCREAMING. STARING.

Knuckles tried to stand up. Tried to tell the boy, _'No! No it was an accident! I just fell! I didn't mean to hurt you.'_ But it was drowned out in all the commotion. Something descended on him then. _'Oh…'_ Was that a hand at his throat? It jerked him backwards. He felt the drag of the ground at his heels, and then a wall, as it slammed into his back.

Knuckles reeled when his head made contact with the surface. His eye fluttered as he tried to clear the disorienting sparks on his sight. A very tall yellow bear had him pinned against the wall by the throat. The bear leaned down, and closed the space between them so their noses almost touched.

"What the hell are do you doing? You think you can attack my friend?" The bear asked in a gruff voice. The other boy was there as well, glaring at him a few steps away.

The room around them drowned away. Knuckles' inner voice was screaming at him to do something. _'Defend yourself! Move!'_ His arms and legs did not respond. ' _Your are a guardian! Free yourself! FIGHT BACK!'_ But still he stood frozen like a statue, trembling under the harsh grip at his neck, pinned by a thousand eyes across the room.

 _"I'm taking to you._ What kind of ugly FREAK are you anyway?" When Knuckles didn't reply the bear asked, "What's wrong? Freak can't talk?"

"It's not nice to call names Bark." another voice chimed to their left. "Get your hands off him. _NOW_."

Most of the eyes across the room now shifted to Sonic who stood a few feet away

"What, don't tell me this freak is with you." The bear, who was apparently called _Bark,_ spit back at Sonic.

"That wasn't a request Bark. BACK AWAY."

"I'm not the one who atta…."

Bark didn't have the opportunity to finish that statement. In a blink Sonic slammed forward into him, elbow jarring the larger fellow right in the diaphragm. The bear doubled over instantly, gasping for breath.

Sonic spared neither Bark, the other boy, nor the gasping crowd a second glance. His features were lined with a dark frown that revealed he was furious. He grabbed Knuckles by the wrist started straight for the mob at their right. For a moment Knuckles thought Sonic would plow into the mess of spectators standing there while dragging him along. The crowd seemed to think the same though, and hurriedly parted, clearing a path for the pair to storm through.

Knuckles couldn't tell where he was being dragged to. He just stumbled along behind Sonic, and kept his sights directed at the floor. After a long trek through the building, the crowd thinned around them, and Sonic pulled him through a door that led back outside.

The change in light was instant, and blinding. Knuckles raised one hand to shield his eyes from the sun, and had to blink several times again before their surroundings made sense to him. The rows of booths and tents from before were not visible. Only he and Sonic occupied the area, which appeared it might be at the back of the building. _He was so glad they were alone._ When Sonic turned to face him the hedgehog still looked angry. He took a deep breath and said, "Knuckles, are you alright? Are you hurt? I'm so sorry I didn't come sooner."

The relief Knuckles felt at realizing that his companion's anger was not directed at him personally, was so great Knuckles let out a breath he had not realized he'd been holding.

He began to speak his reply, _"Yes. I'm fine,"_ but found his throat had become tight. A croak like sound of "Yea…" was the only sound that came through. Knuckles attempted to correct it with an inward breath, but his throat tightened again like a draw string.

In that moment panic set in.

His eyes widened, as he tried again to draw breath. All he managed was a desperate wheezing sound.

Once more, and his vision began to speckle, fading white at the edges.

Across from him Sonic's face quickly changed from anger to concern.

"Knuckles? Crap. Wait, just…" Sonic grabbed him at the shoulders, and walked him backwards three steps, until he was pinned against the wall.

Knuckles had a momentary fleeting thought that he had been wrong, and that Sonic was about to strangle him in rage like that crazy bear, _which was absolute ludicrous, considering his own traitorous throat was about to successfully suffocate him without assistance._

Everything was fading white. _'What is happening!'_

"Knuckles! Stay with me." Sonic's voice cut through his foggy thoughts. "Hey buddy, I'm right here. OK? Listen to my voice. You are… uh… I think you're hyperventilating. Ok? I know it's hard, but just keep going with the breaths ok? Try it now. Just take a big deep breath. I—n and Ou—t."

"Gooood. Again. In and out"

"Just keep at it."

"Good. _Good_. Keep going now."

"And again"

It was some time before Knuckles realized the he was actually following along. When he could see again with some measure of normalcy he realized they were both on the floor now. Knuckles with his back against the building, and Sonic knelt in front of him, still holding his shoulders.

Knuckles couldn't quite understand how Sonic could still sound so optimistic in telling him he was doing well. Knuckles was sure he hadn't taken a complete breath yet. Each attempt was a struggle against wheezing, and stuttering. Each hitch, was the hand, tight on this throat. Each gasp the eyes staring him down like something terrible, that didn't belong.

As the minutes rolled on, _he honestly couldn't say if five or fifteen had passed,_ the knot did eventually relax to a point where slow, shallow breathes came with a measure of ease. With his world a little less muddled, he tucked his forehead on his knees to just revel in the simplicity of taking each breath for a time.

Sonic waited patiently there with him.

A while longer, and Sonic spoke. "I guess, it's a bit much, huh? All these people? I didn't quite think that through. That's on me."

"Ugh… and those guys Bark and Nack are jerks. Always have been. I've known them for ages you know. Since we were little. Bark was always a bully, and Nack is just an idiot."

"But really, the council thing… I should have just told them no. Or guessed that it would run long. All chatter boxes, those people. They love to sit and talk." Sonic said with a chuckle.

Knuckles had managed to ease into cautiously long breaths by then, while listening.

A minute or so passed before Sonic spoke up again. "I know you didn't attack anyone in there, so… can you tell me what actually happened?"

There was something in the way he spoke that phrase, _with simple conviction,_ that caused Knuckles to look up, and meet Sonic's eyes.

His voice sounded raspy when he spoke, but Knuckles pressed through. "How… are you so sure… about that?"

"About what?" Sonic asked, "That you didn't attack anyone?"

Knuckles nodded in response.

Sonic's head tilted as he considered how to explain the thought.

"Those people… most of them have seen some hard times. Down here on South Island we've been dealing with the threat Dr. Robotnik poses on our lives, and cities for several years now. A few of them even lived in, and remember Metropolis from before it was taken over. _They are good people_ , but a lot of them are scared, even though they live there lives in relative safety here in Station Square where it's secure."

"Those people aren't like you and I Knuckles. Sure, they've seen the botniks, heard about the threat of robotization, maybe even lost someone to it, but they… _They haven't stared him down in the eyes like we have."_

"They make the mistake of fearing anything they don't know as a threat."

"Whatever happened in there, I've seen your true character, and I know that you have seen the truth _first hand_. You met the real danger in the flesh, and when the moment of judgment came, you found your way to the right side. All of this…" Sonic said motioning towards the space around them, "The city, the people, places, and things around us are all unknown to you, but I see how you look at them with curiosity, and fascination. You welcome it all _without fear._ "

"Some might call that naive. I don't think so. It tells me all I need to know. All the fear I saw in that room from the eyes upon you, _I know would never come from your heart."_

* * *

Several years later, Knuckles was able to pinpoint that as the moment he first understood that Sonic trusted him _wholeheartedly_. And in those years that followed, Knuckles had certainly tested that trust with missteps and mistakes, but Sonic always stood firm, and allowed him the dignity to find his way to the right side.

Somewhere along the way his own nature became something else. More than fearless or naive.

And a long time later, when his world really did begin to fall apart, _trust with_ _conviction,_ Knuckles learned, could make all the difference.

* * *

END

 ** **Authors Note Two:****

So. There it is. The original dream scene that I had was just of Knuckles backed up against a wall with a bunch of people around him. I couldn't stop thinking about what story that led him there.

Anyway... Still writing. For those of you following FF, I'm still planning a drabbles piece, (it's not this) (this just came outta left field first.) Next chapter of FF is nowhere near done, but it is getting really goood! (evil smile) Well, actually that is for you all to decide, but it's getting a lot of attention. ;)

Will be back with more writing soon!

 **~Sarilleny**


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